Whether you are a patient or visitor at West Hills Hospital & Medical center, we want your experience with us to be as pleasant as possible. We have provided helpful information to help you during your stay or while visiting a patient in the hospital.

What to Expect

Prior to Procedure

Place a feeding tube into your small intestine—may be done during the esophagectomy

Leading up to your procedure:

Talk to your doctor about your medications. You may be asked to stop taking some medications up to one week before the procedure

Arrange for someone to drive you home from the hospital and to help you at home.

Eat a light meal the night before. Do not eat or drink anything after midnight.

Your doctor may ask you to:

Use an enema to clear your intestines

Follow a special diet.

Take antibiotics or other medications.

Shower using antibacterial soap the night before the surgery.

Anesthesia

General anesthesia
will be used. It will block any pain and keep you asleep through the surgery. A tube will be placed in your windpipe to help you breathe.

Description of the Procedure

Depending on the area that needs to be removed, the doctor will make an incision in the neck or abdomen using one of these techniques:

An open procedure using one large incision—The diseased area will be located and removed.

A laproscopic procedure that uses several small incisions—A tiny camera and small surgical instruments will be inserted through the incisions. Looking at the esophagus on a monitor, the doctor will locate and remove the diseased area.

A replacement esophagus will be formed with part of the stomach
or large intestine. The remainder of the esophagus will be attached to this new esophagus. In some cases, lymph nodes in the area will also be removed. One or more chest tubes will be placed to drain fluids.
Lastly, the incisions will be closed with stitches or staples.

How Long Will It Take?

About six hours

How Much Will It Hurt?

Anesthesia will prevent pain during surgery. Pain and discomfort after the procedure can be managed with medications.

Average Hospital Stay

This procedure is done in a hospital setting. The usual length of stay is 1-2 weeks. Your doctor may choose to keep you longer if complications arise.

Post-procedure Care

At the Hospital

You will not be able to eat or drink anything during the first week after surgery. You will get nutrition through a feeding tube. Within 7-14 days, you will have a swallowing test to check for leaks. If there are no leaks, your diet will gradually progress from clear liquids to soft, solid meals. You will probably be able to return to a normal diet after about a month. Your stomach
may
be smaller, so you will need to eat smaller portions.

You will also need to do deep breathing exercises. You may be given an incentive spirometer. This is a device to help you breath deeply.

Other guidelines include:

Walking every day.

Avoid heavy lifting for 6-8 weeks.

Ask your doctor about when it is safe to shower, bathe, or soak in water.

Preventing Infection

During your stay, the hospital staff will take steps to reduce your chance of infection, such as:

Washing their hands

Wearing gloves or masks

Keeping your incisions covered

There are also steps you can take to reduce your chance of infection, such as:

Washing your hands often and reminding your healthcare providers to do the same

Reminding your healthcare providers to wear gloves or masks

Not allowing others to touch your incision

Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if any of the following occur:

Signs of infection, including fever and chills

Redness, swelling, increasing pain, excessive bleeding, or any discharge from the incision site

Persistent nausea and/or vomiting

Pain that you cannot control with the medications you have been given

Cough, shortness of breath, or chest pain

Constipation or diarrhea

Pain and/or swelling in your feet, calves, or legs

If you think you have an emergency, call for medical help right away.

Revision Information

This content is reviewed regularly and is updated when new and relevant evidence is made available. This information is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with questions regarding a medical condition.